Our Team

Shana Winkel has been our head trainer and farm manager since 2017. A graduate of Kansas State University with a B.S. in Animal Science Shana rode all four years on KSU's NCAA Equestrian team. Prior to getting her masters and PhD in Animal Science with a focus in nutrition from the University of Nebraska, she worked as a vet tech at Peterson Smith Equine Hospital and Complete Care, one of the largest equine clinics in the country.  Shana uses her wide-ranging education and experience to approach training from a unique perspective.  She is always looking for ways to make sure the horse is comfortable in its body as a key component to addressing performance issues. 

Since working at FHF Shana has brought the right mix of discipline, competitive drive and light-heartedness to help her clients focus on their goals, but keep things in perspective.  She addresses the horses and riders needs on an individual basis, helping her clients achieve their goals with a strategy that is challenging, but flexible and understanding. Shana’s riders have qualified for equitation finals and medaled in upper level jumpers and championships. As a rider, she is strong, but with a light feel bringing along many young horses and successfully competing in every division up to 1.45m with horses she has trained and developed. 

Esther was Born and Raised in Omaha Ne, where she started riding Dressage when she was 12 and volunteering on the weekends at the barn.  Over the years she began progressing her riding and started hunter/jumpers. Esther graduated early from highschool and Enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, from February 2018-2022
During that time she continued developing her riding and became more serious about wanting to become a professional and jump competitively.
Esther is  always striving to find the best out of every ride and to always soak up knowledge on how to better her partnership with her horse and the horses around her.

I have been riding since I was 7 years old and started out in the western world enjoying horses like a typical horse crazy kid. I discovered the hunter jumper world when I was 10 and was hooked and decided I wanted to do everything I could to learn as much as possible and become a professional someday. I showed and followed the USEF A circuits my junior career and spent much of that time on the California circuits. I am now a college student at University of Nebraska Omaha working towards my bachelors degree in business while continuing to work towards my horsey dreams and learn as much as I can along the way. 

Fred is a lifelong animal lover and master gardener.  He grew up on a farm and has brought this lifetime of experience to our hilltop after retiring from an extensive career at Union Pacific Railroad.  Fred is in charge of all things that grow in the dirt and makes our farm beautiful.  He also grows enough vegetables to feed all of us and then some!  When he’s not keeping things green, he’s pitching in with morning chores.  He has a special way with the horses (and dogs, and cats) that keeps them relaxed and content while he’s working around them.  We are lucky that as an added bonus, Fred’s wife, Nancy, joins him on weekends and always has an extra carrot or two in her pocket.

Lisa grew up a typical horse crazy kid, riding on a ranch and showing appaloosas.  She discovered the hunter/jumper world when she was 11 and was hooked.  A lifelong horseman, Lisa built Far Hills Farm as a comfortable environment for learning and training, but where the horses could be horses with big pastures and plenty of options for riding outside the arena.  An amateur with a day job, she enjoys working with challenging horses to help unravel what has created limitations for them.  Her philosophy blends a classical foundation with alternative techniques to bring out the best in the horse with the least tension.